Cleaning and dust collecting machine for dry mops



Jan. 20, 1953 cu 2,625,704

CLEANING AND DUST COLLECTING MACHINE FOR DRY MOPS Filed Nov. 26, 1948 3Sheets-Sheet l 4a j INVENTOR. E ALP// /9. Cum

BY W ATTORNEY Jan. 20,1953 R. R. CUDY 2,625,704

CLEANING AND DUST COLLECTING MACHINE FOR DRY MOPS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledNov. 26, 1948 INVENTOR. 44129 R (2/0) 4T OIENEY Jan. 20; 1953 cu 72,625,704

CLEANING AND DUST COLLECTING MACHINE FOR DRY MOPS Filed. NOV. 26, 1948 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. v AAuw /8 Cum ATTOR E) Patented Jan. 20-, 1953UNITED smrssrasr FFICE CLEANING AND DUST COLLECTING MACHINE For. DRYMOPS Ralph R. Cudy, Wayne County, Mich;

Application November 26, 1948, Serial No. 62,101

This invention relates to mop cleaners and in particular to mechanicalmeans for cleaning dry mops and dust'ers.

' The primary object of the present invention is to provide a mopcleaner for dry mops and clusters that is clean and sanitary inoperation, which effectively shakes a mop clean, which employs aremovable container for receiving dirt, dust and lint shaken from themop, and which includes means for settling dirt, dust and lint into theremovable container provided therefor.

Another object of the invention is to provide an effective and efficientpower driven mop cleaner for indoor use which cleans any type of dry mopthoroughly and retains for later disposal dirt, dust, lint and the likeremoved from the mop, all without spreading dust and dirt throughout theroom in which the mop is cleaned.

A further object of the invention is to provide aninexpensive portableelectric driven dry mop cleaner and shaker which cleans all types of drymops effectively and without spreading dust responsive to the cleaningprocess employed.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a dry mop cleaner, animproved mop holding and shaking means which will accommodatesubstantially all types of dry mops and clean them effectively.

And a still further object of the invention is to provide a mop cleanerfor dry mops including means for holding substantially all types of drymops, means for agitating the mop while engaged on the holding means, aremovable container within the mop cleaner for receiving dirt and dustshaken from the mop, and means for settling dirt and dust shaken fromthe mop into the said removable container.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of a mop cleaner embodying theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view with portions broken away successively toillustrate the construction.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational View.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4of Fig. 2 showing the .cover hinge construction.

' Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on the line5--5 of Fig. 2 showing the cover latch construction and the meanspreferably employed to suspend the removable dirt and dust containerwithin the mop cleaner.

6 Claims. (Cl. 15-311) Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken onthe line 6--6 of Fig. 1 showing the mop shaker operating mechanismpreferably employed.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing theconstruction of the removable dirt and dust container and its supportingstructure.

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the mop holder construction whichis employed to hold effectively substantially all types of dry mopsduring the mechanical shaking thereof.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the mop holder shown in Fig. 8.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like andcorresponding parts throughout the several views, the particularembodiment of a mop cleaner disclosed for the purpose of illustratingthe invention comprises, in general, a preferably cylindrical housingIt] including a cover H hinged thereto by a suitable hinge l2 andmaintained closed by a spring latch l3, the said cover I I having a slotl4 therein and a spring clip [5 thereon to receive and retain invertical oscillatory relationship the handle I69 of a dry mop I6, a mopholder l1 onto which the dry mop I6 is positioned, a vertically disposedoscillating shaft 3 onto which the mop holder H is keyed, a power unitl9 composed of an oscillating mechanism 29 supporting the saidoscillating shaft and imparting oscillatory movement thereto, anelectric motor' 2| driving the said oscillating mechanism 2!] through aflexible coupling 22, the said oscillating mechanism 20 being mounted inthe bottom of the said cylindrical housing H] on a suitable base Hill, ahorizontally disposed partition 23 having a series of arcuately disposedapertures 24 around the outer portion thereof adjacent the wall of thecylindrical hous-. ing l0 dividing the said cylindrical housing it intoan upper mop cleaning compartment 25 and lower eduction compartment 26,a removable dirt and dust container 21 having a reticulated base 28disposed in the said upper mop'cleaning' compartment 25, a springretainer ring 29 holding the upper portion of the said dirt and dustcontainer 27 against the wall of the cylindrical housing If] at a groove30 provided around the inner periphery thereof, the said'reti culatedbase 28 of the dirt and dust container 21 extending over the arcuatelydisposed apertures Zfl in the bottom of the horizontally disposedpartition 23, an eduction fan 3| driven by thesaid electric motor 2|,the wall of the said housing It having louvres 32 therein through whichthe eduction fan 3| discharges air from the said eduction compartment 26drawing air from the mop cleanholder l? is keyed by a set screw H iscomposed of suitable worm and pinion gearing disposed in a gear housing35 connected to the electric motor 29 through a coil spring typeflexible coupling 22 connecting the worm shaft 35 of the worm and piniongearing to the motor shaft 36. The pinion shaft 3'! has keyed thereon acrank arm 38 which rotates in a clockwise direction as indicated in Fig.6. The vertically disposed shaft it onto which the mop holder 11 iskeyed has an oscillating lever 39 keyed thereto. The outer end of theclockwise rotating crank arm 38 and the outer end of the oscillatinglever 39 are linked together by a suitable link 40 pivoted to theretating crank arm 38 and to the oscillating lever 39 by suitable pivots4| and 42 respectively. With such construction or its equivalent, thevertically disposed shaft [8 is oscillated as indicated by the arrow 43in Fig. 6.

The particular construction of the mop holder 1? is quite importantinasmuch as it serves not only to receive and hold a mop for cleaning byits rapid oscillation, but the mop holder ll accommodates substantiallyall types of dry mops in such a manner as to'hold them loosely to permitdirt and dust to be shaken therefrom and at the same time the said mopholder ['3 holds the mop [5 with sufiicient security to assure itsoscillation with the oscillation of the said mop holder H. The preferredembodiment of the mop holder I! comprises a hub 44 which is bored at 440to'fit over the top of the vertically disposed oscillating shaft [8 andis keyed thereto by a set screw I10. A circular horizontally disposedbase plate is preferably formed integral with the hub 44 supports aplurality of vertically disposed mop engaging fingers 46 arranged in acircle concentric with the hub 44. Between each of the said verticallydisposed mop engaging fingers ie and arranged in substantially the samecircle is an upwardly disposed outwardly goose-necked mop engagingfinger 41. Although it is preferable, it is not necessary that alternatemop engaging fingers be vertical and goose-necked, however, a pattern ofmop engaging fingers as and i! like and similar to those disclosed inFigs, 8 and 9 have been found to engage and securely hold a dry mop [6so as to oscillate it vigorously by the oscillating mechanism 20' and atthe same time permit the dirt and dust pick-up portion of the mop I 6 toshake with a whip-like action to cause dirt, dust and the likeaccumulated thereon to become removed therefrom.

Under normal conditions, the shaking of the mop [6 by vigorouslyoscillating it in the mop cleaning compartment 25 would create a cloudof dust therein while the heavier particles of dirt shaken from the mopl6 would settle in the removable dirt and dust container 21 which istelescoped over the vertically disposed oscillating shaft is and isfixed within the mop cleaning compartment 25 by the spring retainer ring29 expanded into the groove 30 provided around the inner periphery ofthe wall of the cylindrical housing [0. However, the removable dirt anddust container 21, which may be of reticulated material at its bottom,not only receives the dirt and dust shaken from the mop IE but isprovided with a sufficient down current of air therein by the suction ofair through the reticulated bottom or base 28 thereof at the arcuateapertures 24 in the horizontally disposed partition 23 to settle thedirt and dust in the bottom of the said removable dirt and dustcontainer 21. The suction of air through the reticulated base 2d of theremovable dirt and dust container 21 is accomplished by the eduction fan3| creating a slight vacuum in the eduction compartment 26. Theremovable dirt and dust container 21 is preferably constructed ofsufiiciently serviceable material as will permit its repeated emptyingand re-use. However, a light paper dirt and dust container 21' which maybe disposed of along with the dirt and dust shaken from the mop It maybe used provided the bottom thereof is finely perforated to permit thesettling of dirt and dust therein responsive to a slight vacuum createdin the eduction compartment 25.

For convenience in handling the mop cleaner, suitable supporting feet 48are fixed on the bottom of the cylindrical housing Ill and a suitablehandle :29 is fixed on the cover H. An electric cord 58 having asuitable plug 5| thereon for connection to an electric outlet isprovided. An on and off switch 52- preferably located at the handle 3 5is connected into the electric circuit between the electric cord 55 andthe electric motor 2 5.

Improved power actuated mop cleaners of the type herein disclosed areparticularly advantageous in that substantially all types of householddry mops may be readily and thoroughly cleaner indoors thereby withoutthe respreading of the dirt and dust'picked up by the mop when in useand shaken therefrom during the cleaning thereof. lhe mop cleaner iseasy to operate and may be readily stored when not in use, and the dirtand dust collected therein may be readily disposed of Although butasingle embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described indetail, it is obvious that many changes may be 1; in the size, shape,arrangement and detail of the various elements of the invention withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope thereof defined by the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A mop cleaner for dry mops comprising a housing including therein anupper mop clean ing compartment, a lower eduction compart ent and apartition therebetween, an oscilla 1g mechanism in the lower eductioncompartment. an oscillating shaft actuated by the said oscillatingmechanism extending upwardly from the said oscillating mechanism intothe said mop cleaning compartment, a mop holder mounted on the upper endof the said oscillating shaft, the said partition between the said uppermop cleaning compartment and the lower eduction ccmpart" inent havingapertures therein, a removable dirt and. dust container having acentrally apertured reticulated base positioned over the said upwardlyextending oscillating shaft and disposed within the said upper mopcleaning compartment over the said apertures in the said partitionbetween the said upper mop cleaning compartment and the said lowereduction compartment, the said housing having louvres thereincommunicating ass-aver with the said eduction compartment, an eductionfan disposed in the said eduction compartment withdrawing air therefromwhereby to cause dirt and dustshaken from a dry mop disposed on the saidmop holder during the oscillation thereof to settle in the saidremovable dirt and dust container, and means driving the saidoscillating mechanism and the said eduction fan.

2. A mop cleaner for dry mops comprising a housing including therein anupper mop cleaning compartment, a lower eduction compartment and apartition therebetween, a hinged cover for the said housing having a mophandle slot therein, a spring clip on the said hinged cover formed toreceive and hold a mop handle vertically simultaneously permittingoscillatory movement about its vertical axis, an oscillating mechanismin the lower eduction compartment, an oscillating shaft actuated by thesaid oscillating mechanism extending upwardly from the said oscillatingmechanism into the said mop cleaning compartment, a mop holder adaptedto engage a dry mop mounted on the upper end of the said oscillatingshaft, the said partition between the said upper mop cleaningcompartment and the lower eduction compartment having apertures therein,a removable dirt and dust container having a centrally aperturedreticulated base positioned over the said upwardly extending oscillatingshaft and disposed within the said upper mop cleaning compartment overthe said apertures in the said partition between the said upper mopcleaning compartment and the said lower eduction compartment, the saidhousing having louvres therein communicating with the said eductioncompartment, an eduction fan disposed in the said eduction compartmentwithdrawing air therefrom whereby to cause dirt and dust shaken from adry mop disposed on the said mop holder during the oscillation thereofto settle in the said removable dirt and dust container, and meansdriving the said oscillating mechanism and the said eduction fan.

3. A mop cleaner for dry mops comprising a housing including therein anupper mop cleaning compartment, a lower eduction compartment andpartition therebetween, an oscillating mechanism in the lower eductioncompartment, an oscillating shaft actuated by the said oscillatingmechanism extending upwardly from the said oscillating mechanism intothe said mop cleaning compartment, a mop holder mounted on the upper endof the said oscillating shaft, the said mop holder comprising a baseplate and a plurality of suitably spaced upwardly disposed mop engagingfingers extending therefrom, the said partition between the said uppermop cleaning compartmerit and the lower eduction compartment havingapertures therein, a removable dirt and dust container having acentrally apertured reticulated base telescoped over the said upwardlyextending oscillating shaft and disposed within the said upper mopcleaning compartment over the said apertures in the said partitionbetween the said upper mop cleaning compartment and the said lowereduction compartment, the said housing having louvres thereincommunicating with the said eduction compartment, an eduction fandisposed in the said eduction compartment withdrawing air therefromwhereby to cause dirt and dust shaken from a dry mop disposed on thesaid mop holder during the oscillation thereof to settle in the saidremovable dirt and dust container, and means driving the saidoscillating mechanism and the said eduction fan.

6 "4. A mop cleaner for dry mops comprising a housing including thereinan upper mop cleaning compartment, a lower eduction compartment and apartition therebetween, a hinged cover for the said housing having a mophandle slot therein, a spring clip on the said hinged cover formed toreceive and hold a mop handle vertically simultaneously permittingoscillatory movement about its vertical axis, an oscillating mechanismin the lower eduction compartment, an oscillating shaft actuated by thesaid oscillating mechanism extending upwardly from the said oscillatingmechanism into the said mop cleaning compartment, a mop holder adaptedto engage a dry mop mounted on the upper end of the said oscillatingshaft, the said mop holder comprising a base plate and a plurality ofsuitably spaced upwardly disposed mop engaging fingers extendingtherefrom, the said partition between the said upper mop cleaningcompartment and the lower eduction compartment having apertures therein,a removable dirt and dust container having a centrally aperturedreticulated base positioned over the said upwardly extending oscillatingshaft and disposed within the said upper mop cleaning compartment overthe said apertures in the said partition between the said upper mopcleaning compartment and the said lower eduction compartment, the saidhousing having louvres therein communieating with the said eductioncompartment, an eduction fan disposed in the said eduction compartmentwithdrawing air therefrom whereby to cause dirt and dust shaken from adry mop disposed on the said mop holder during the oscillation thereofto settle in the said removable dirt and dust container, and meansdriving the said oscillating mechanism and the said eduction fan.

5. In a dry mop cleaner for dry mops, the combination of a housingincluding a slotted cover and upper and lower compartments with anapertured partition therebetween, a spring clip centrally located on thesaid mop cover for loosely holding the handle of a dry mop therein, amop holder in the upper compartment onto which a mop to be cleaned ispositioned with its dirt and dust pick-up portion in dependingrelationship, a removable dirt and dust container having a reticulatedbase disposed in the said upper compartment, motor driven mechanicalmeans for oscillating the said mop holder, and fan means driven by thesame motor that drives the said mechanical oscillating means creating apartial vacuum in the lower compartment whereby to withdraw air from thesaid removable dirt and dust container within the upper compartment andsimultaneously settle in the said dirt and dust container dirt and dustshaken from a dry mop disposed on the said oscillating mop holder.

6. In a dry mop cleaner for dry mops, the combination of a housingincluding a slotted cover and upper and lower compartments with anapertured partition therebetween, a spring clip centrally located on thesaid cover for loosely holding the handle of a dry mop therein, a mopholder in the upper compartment including a plurality of mop engagingfingers extending upwardly therefrom onto which a mop to be cleaned ispositioned with its dirt and dust pick-up portion in dependingrelationship, a removable dirt and dust container having a reticulatedbase disposed in the said upper compartment, motor driven mechanicalmeans for oscillating the said mop holder, and fan means driven by thesame motor that drives the said mechanical oscillating means creating a7 partial vacuum-in the lower compartment whereby to Withdraw air fromthe said removable dirt and dust container within the upper compartmentand simultaneously settle in the said dirt and dust container dirt anddust shaken from a dry mop disposed on the said oscillating mop holder.

RALPH R. (JUDY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Number 10 Number UNITED STATES PATENTS

